Sheet feeding apparatus



July 7, 1942. R F, HALL 1 2,289,011

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORATTONY July .7, 1942. R. F. HALL SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 2o,1940 s snqts-sheet 2 I lNvENToR Foy f'ank lia/l BY v July 7, 1942. RgF.HALL SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet .'5

INVENTR /oy Fra/M* Ha//.- BY

ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1942 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Roy Frank Hall,Kansas City, Mo., assigner ofone-half to Benjamin A. Babb, Kansas City,

Aliplioationl May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,230

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for typewriters andsimilar machines adapted for writing entries on sheets, such asinvoices, checks, envelopes,A cards, and the like, and has for itsprincipal object to provide automatic feed of the sheets fro-m a stackinto the typewriter in successive order and to deposit the sheets in astack without handling thereof by theA operator.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a feeding device operativeautomatically incidental to turning of the platen roller; to provide a.separate and more rapid transfer of the sheets when only a few lines areto be written thereon; and to provide a simple, inexpensive mechanismthat is adapted for ready attachment to a conventional typewriter.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, ashereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure,the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accomn panyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a sheet feeding apparatus applied to atypewriter, the typewriter being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sheet feeding apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the platen carriage and the feedingapparatus carried thereby.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view, the platen roller shaft being shownin section and the upper portion of the sheet retaining pocket beingbroken away to better illustrate the adjustable partition therein.

Fig. 5 is a similar view at the opposite end of the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view. of the parts of the feedingmechanism shown in disassembled spaced relation to better illustrate theconstruction thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a conventional form of typewriter including a carriage 2shiftable to position the impression of the type 3 on a sheet carried bythe platen roller 4 forming a part of the carriage. The type 3 is movedto printing Contact by manipulation of the keys 5 which also effectsshift of the carriage from the right to the left as the writingprogresses. At the end of a line the carriage is returned by a ratchetlever 6 which simultaneously advances the platen according to thedesired spacing of the lines. The carriage also includes a frame havingend members 'l and 8 in which the platen shaft 9 is journalled. The endsof the platen shaft project from thel frame and carry knobs IQ and II.by whichv the platen may be, selectively rotated to feed the papersheets independently' of the lever 5. The carriage also includes a paperrest, I2 for guiding a sheet between the platen roller and asubstantially arcuate paper guide |13. when pressing rollers I4 and I5.are.y released incidental to manipulation of the key I6, as in con.-ventional practice.

The typewriter parts` above vdescribed are all conventional andspecifically form no part, of the present invention, but are illustratedin that they are associated with the sheet feeding ap.- paratus now tobe described.

Mounted on the respective ends, of the carriage are angle-shapedbrackets I1 and I8 having flanges I9 overlapping'the ends of thecarriage and secured thereto byl fastening devices such as screws 20.Connecting! the rear of` the brackets is a bar 2I having ends 22overlapping the flanges I9 and secured theretoy by fastening devices 23extending through openings 24 in the bar and into threaded openings 25of the flanges. Secured to they bar and extending substantially parallelwith the paper rest I2 is a back plate 26 having forwardly flanged ends2l and 28 which are spaced inwardly from the brackets I'I and I8. Theplate thus described is suitably attached to the bar 2I at a slightrearward inclination and spaced rearwardly from the platen roller 4 withthe lower edge spaced above the paper rest I2 and located substantiallyin a horizontal plane tangentially with the platen roller 4.

Cooperating with the plate 26 is a front plate 29V of sufficient lengthto bridge the space between the flanges 2l and 28, the ends thereofbeing secured to the flanges by substantially angle? shaped brackets3Il` and 3l. The angle brackets have arms 32 overlapping the front faceof the plate 29 and are secured thereto by fastening de.- vices 33.V Theother arms 34 overlap the inner faces of the flanges 2l and 28 and aresecured thereto by fastening devices 35.

The plates thus described cooperate to form a. pocket 36 of sufficientsize toretain a stack of sheets as indicated at 3l, Fig. 3. The'backplate is of sufficient height to suitably support the sheets to preventdrooping thereof in a rearward direction but the front plate preferablyterminates at a lower elevation in a forwardly directed lip 38 tofacilitate insertion of the sheets through the opening 39 at the top Olthe DQQket. The lower portion of the front plate is inclined slightly inthe direction of the platen roller and cooperates with a bottom plate 45to form a slotlike throat or opening 4| through which the sheets areindividually discharged into the space between the rest |2 and theplaten roller 4.

The lower ends of the flanges 21 and 23 are inclined in a forwarddirection so that the plate 40 when butted thereagainst inclinesdownwardly in the direction of the platen roller to effect splaying ofthe lower edge of the stack by gravity movement of the sheets toward theopening 4|, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The front edge of the plate isreinforced by a bar 42 extending along the under side thereof as shownin Figs. 3, 4 and 6. The plate is secured by blocks 43 and 44 which areretained between the outer faces of the flanges 21 and 28 and the offsetends 45 and 46 of brackets 41 and 4B fixed toI the flanges by fasteningdevices such as screws 49. The blocks 43 and 44 are secured in rigidposition by fastening devices 50 extending through openings in theoffset and into threaded openings in the blocks. The front ends of theblocks project forwardly from the plate 45 and form journals rotatablymounting a shaft carrying a plurality of preferably resilient feedrollers 52 cooperating with the front edge 53 of the plate 46 to' feedindividual sheets onto the paper rest I2. The shaft is retained fromlongitudinal movement relative to the plate 40 by collars 54 affixedthereon by set screws 55 and engaging the inner faces of the blocks. Inorder to adjustably position the front edge 53 of the plate 4U withrespect to the rollers 52 for different thicknesses of paper and tocornpensate for wear of the rollers, the ends of the plate 4|) areprovided with slots 56 and 51 through which fastening devices 58 and 59extend in securing the plate to the blocks. To accommodate the rollers52, the front plate 26 has a series of notches 60 in the lower edge 6|thereof as shown in Fig. 6.

The shaft 5| projects through the block 43 and carries a gear 62 whichmeshes with an idle gear 63 rotatably supported on a stud 64 carried bythe angle bracket |1. The idle gear 63 in turn meshes with a gear 65 onthe platen shaft so that the rollers 52 are rotated simultaneously withthe platen. The relative pitch diameters of the gears 62 and 65 are suchas to give the same peripheral speed to the rollers 52 as effected bythe platen 4 whereby the sheets are fed freely into printing position.

I have also provided an independent and faster ratchet feed of theplaten and feed rollers. This is effected at the opposite side of themachine by providing the platen roller with a pinion 66 which mesheswith the teeth of a ratchet wheel 61 rotatably supported on a stud 68carried by the depending flange 69 of the bracket I8. The ratchet wheel61 is rotated in an anticlockwise direction, Fig. 5, .b-y a ratchetlever 1l! pivoted on the stud 68 and carrying a pawl 1| having a tooth12 engageable withthe teeth 13 of the wheel 61 under action of a spring14 so that when the ratchet lever is swung in a forward or anticlockwisedirection, Fig. 5, the ratchet wheel 61 rotates the pinion 66 at afaster speed than the speed of the platen effected by the hand operationof one of the knobs l0 or l The ratchet lever has suiiicient stroke sothat one pull of the lever is sufcient to completely transfer one sheetfrom the platen roll to a stack support Aor container carried above theplaten, as later described. After actuation of the ratchet lever, it isreturned to its original position by a spring 16 having one end xed to astud 11 on the lever and its opposite end to a stud 18 on the anglebracket i8 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

To facilitate operation of the lever, it is preferably provided with alaterally extending handle 19. In at least one position the ratchetlever is retained against a stop fixed to the angle bracket and havingan offset end 8| forming a guard. When in retractive position the pawlof the latch lever is raised from clicking position with the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel by a pin 52 carried by the end 8| of the stop 85 inthe path of the pawl just at the point where the ratchet lever engagesthe slop. Upon forward movement of the ratchet lever, the pawl leavesthe pin so that it immediately drops into engagement with one of theratchet wheel teeth to start rotation of the platen, and rotation of therollers 52 through the gears 62, 63 and 65, previously described.

The container 15 for the typewritten sheets includes a plate 83 arrangedabove the platen and having forwardly extending flanged ends 84 and 35and a forwardly extending lower edge flange 86 forming a ledge 81contacting the periphery of the platen to form a support for the sheetsdelivered therefrom. The plate 83 is preferably posisioned at a slightlygreater angle than the plates forming the container or pocket 36previously described so that the sheets fall readily into position. Theplate 83 is retained in position by pairs of arms 88 and 89 fixed totheanges and having oiset ends 98 and 9| attached to the flanges 21 and 28by means of the fastening devices 35.

In order to provide for sheets of less width than the pocket, the pocketcarries a partition 92 fixed to the edge of a plate S3 that is slidableon the plate 26. The upper edge of the plate 93 projects above the plate26 and curves rear- Wardly, as at 94, so as to facilitate insertion ofthe sheets in the pocket. The plate 63 is slidably retained in positionby a lug 95 movable through a slot 96 in the plate 26. Carried by thelug is a threaded stud 91 mounting a clip 68 having ends 99 and |60pressing against the rear side of the plate 26 when a knurled thumb nutIl is threaded thereagainst. The knurled nut l5! is retained on the stud91 by a stop nut |62 fixed to the outer end thereof.

In order to direct the paper sheets onto the rest and to support themagainst the platen roller, the front of the brackets |1 and |8 areconnected by a bar |63 carrying slides |64 and |05. These slides havefingers |66 and E01 cooperating with the curvature of the platen to'form paper guides and are provided with paper pressing rollers |68 and|59 to press the paper against the platen and divert the upper edges ofthe sheets toward the container 15. The ends IH) of the bar |53 areoffset upwardly so that the guide carrying portion of the bar is indesired position relatively to the platen and the offset ends aresecured to the angle-shaped brackets by fastening devices In using theapparatus constructed and assembled as described, the edge of the plate4B is adjusted into substantial contact wi'h the rollers so that onlyone sheet is passed at a time. A stack of sheets 31 isinserted throughthe open top 39 of the pocket 36 so that the lower edges thereof restupon the inclined plate 45. The partition 52 is then adjusted Vbyloosening the knurled nut |55 and sliding the plate 93 so that theflange S2 thereon cooperates with the ange 28 to support the sheets instacked position whereby they will all be delivered into the typewriterat the same relative position on the platen. The sheets will move bygravity down the inclined plate 4i! so that the foremost sheets Contactthe periphery of the feed rollers 52. Upon actuation of the ratchetlever 16, the platen is rotated to effect rotation of the feed rollersthrough the gears G2, E3 and @5, whereby the rst of the sheets in thepocket is moved through the slotted opening il under propellinginfluence of the resilient rollers 52 and is directed by the support I2into the space between the platen roller and the pressing rollers I4 andI5. Continued movement of the platen carries the sheet into typewritingposition as shown in Fig. 3. After the entries have been made thereonthe platen may be advanced either by manipulating one of the knobs l orll or by operating the ratchet lever 1|] so that the typewritten sheetis delivered into the supporting rest or container 15. Simultaneously asucceeding sheet is delivered into the machine in the manner as abovedescribed.

Attention is directed to the fact that the pressing rollers |08 and |09divert the upper edge of the succeeding sheet against the bottom of apreceding sheet, so that the preceding sheets are moved thereby onto theledge 81. From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided afeeding attachment which is of simple, inexpensive construction and welladapted for the feed of single sheets and the like into a typewriter orother machine of similar character.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet feeding attachment of the character described, including asheet feeding container comprising a back plate, forwardly extendingside plates associated with the back plate, a front plate engaged withsaid side plates, and a bottom plate extending forwardly relative to theback plate, the front edge of said bottom plate being spaced from thefront plate and cooperating therewith to form a sheet dischargingthroat, and a separate sheet receiving container connected with andarranged in front of the sheet feeding container in spaced relationthereto and comprising a base plate, and forwardly extending side andbottom plates associated with said base plate, said sheet receivingcontainer having a substantially open front, whereby printed matter onsheets applied thereto is readily observable, said containers divergingat their lower ends and being arranged at different inclinationsrelative to a platen, the throat of said sheet feeding container beingarranged approximately tangentially of the platen at a rear and lowerportion thereof for facilitating smoothly feeding sheets around theplaten, the base plate of the sheet receiving container being arrangedapproximately chordally of the platen at an upper portion thereof tofacilitate removing said sheets from the platen and applying same to thereceiving container, means for feeding sheets from the sheet containerto the platen, and means for guiding sheets from the platen toward thesheet receiving container.

2. A sheet feeding attachment of the character described, including a.sheet feeding container comprising a back plate, forwardly extendingside plates associated With the back plate, a front plate engaged withsaid side plates, and a bottom plate extending forwardly relative to theback plate, the front edge of said bottom plate being spaced from thefront plate and cooperating therewith to form a sheet dischargingthroat, and a separate sheet receiving container connected with andarranged in front of the sheet feeding container in spaced relationthereto and comprising a base plate, and forwardly extending side andbottom plates associated with said base plate, said containers divergingat their lower ends and being arranged at different inclinationsrelative to a platen, the throat of said sheet feeding container beingarranged approximately tangentially of the platen at a rear and lowerportion thereof for facilitating smoothly feeding sheets around theplaten, the base plate of the sheet receiving container being arrangedapproximately chordally of the platen at an upper portion thereof tofacilitate removing said sheets from the platen and applying same to thereceiving container, means for feeding sheets from the sheet containerto the platen, and means for guiding sheets from the platen toward thesheet receiving container.

ROY FRANK HALL.

